SOUTH JERSEY FOOTBALL
Watch: Haddonfield football books trip to Rowan with win over Cinnaminson | 2:24

Haddonfield's defense held Cinnaminson to just eight points en route to a huge win to put the Haddons in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group 2 championship at Rowan University.
Video produced by Justin Odendhal

SOUTH JERSEY FOOTBALL
Watch: Lenape advances to title with win over Howell | 1:44

The Lenape dominated all phases of the game to take down Howell 63-28 on home turf to move on to the South Jersey Group V final against Rancocas Valley at Rowan College on December 2nd.
Video produced by Justin Odendhal

SOUTH JERSEY FOOTBALL
WATCH: No. 13 West Deptford kicks its way past No. 11 Haddonfield in OT | 2:18

Mike Bilodeau’s boot from 35 yards out on the Eagles’ fourth snap of the extra frame put the green in ecstasy. The senior felt a mob of teammates, then took the celebration over to the packed home bleachers.
Chris LaChall/Staff Photographer

The Delsea Regional High School football team took the first step on its road to redemption Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Crusaders rolled past No. 5 Ocean City, 54-36, in the opening round of the NJSIAA Group III South playoffs at John A. Oberg Field. Delsea will face top-seeded Timber Creek on the road in the semifinals, which will provide a chance for the Crusaders to avenge an opening-week loss.

After winning four straight sectional titles, Delsea fell to Wall Township in the finals a year ago. The team also had a win forfeited earlier this year for using an ineligible player, explaining why the perennial powerhouse was relegated to the No. 4 seed in the brackets.

“The adversity in the beginning of the season allowed us to get that chip on our shoulder and come together as a team,” Delsea running back Aidan Borguet said. “As the weeks have been going by, we’ve been playing better and better, and have just been able to get better every day in practice and in the weight room.”

Borguet rushed for 224 yards on 28 carries, good for his fifth 200-plus-yard game of the season. His 1,883 yards on the year is a new school record, eclipsing the old mark, 1,715, which was set in 2009 by Austin Medley.

Borguet also found the end zone three times, including an 18-yard screen pass from quarterback Mason Maxwell in the second quarter. Maxwell himself also ran for two touchdowns, including the opening score of the night.

Ocean City showed plenty of fight, answering the Crusaders’ first two touchdowns and going into halftime down just one score. But Delsea methodically wore down the Red Raiders in the second half with rushing scores from Tymir Kizee and Shaikyi Hannah. Jake Kwosu also added a late insurance touchdown on the ground for Delsea, who rushed for 373 yards as a team.

In the semifinal matchup at Timber Creek, Delsea will try to avenge a 39-36 defeat from Week 1 of the season.

“We’re playing confident,” Maxwell said. “We’re very strong-willed, and we’re ready to go, we’re ready for the next game, and it’s one at a time for us.”

Player of the game: Aidan Borguet – The junior running back rushed for 224 yards on 28 carries and scored three times, but the big news on the night was breaking the single-season record for rushing yards. Borguet has 1,883 this year, eclipsing the old record of 1,715 set by Austin Medley in 2009.

Keys to the game: Winning in the trenches – Credit to the Delsea offensive line for pushing the Red Raiders back all night. Just two Delsea plays netted a loss of yardage and both of those came late in the game.

“Our offensive line is ridiculous, they work their butts off,” Delsea quarterback Mason Maxwell said.

That strong line play led to an astounding 27 first downs for Delsea.

Discipline – Both teams were flagged for multiple unsportsmanlike personal fouls, but Ocean City amassed a total of 11 penalties for 115 yards. Six of those penalties were for 15 yards. Delsea was flagged five times for 55 yards.

Winning the turnover battle – In the first half, one miscue by Delsea could have changed the entire dynamic of the game, since Ocean City was showing so much fight. But after the half, it was Red Raider miscues that kept the upset bid at bay. Delsea’s Jay Wright recovered two Ocean City fumbles in the second half.

Quote of the week:

“In the second half, the defense stepped up. And on offense, all night, the blocking was great, from the linemen all the way to the wide receivers. Mason had great reads on offense, and everything was just rolling.” – Delsea running back Aidan Borguet.